The power of steering
Recently I had a “hands-on” experience and reminder of how important power steering is in a car. Amazing metaphor for our life….read on to learn more. I give a special acknowledgement for my friend, John Washington, “Z” car extraordinaire who contributed to this article and my experience in driving his car!
Do you have power steering in your car?
Modern cars have power steering because it allows automotive engineers to make cars more stable, i.e., more likely to travel in a straight line, or return to straight ahead travel when encountering deviations from the straight line. Obviously, this allows safer operation of the vehicle even at relatively high speeds that don’t require very much steering wheel input.
“Power steering” (technically “power ASSISTED steering”) has a little pump on the engine that supplies additional force to the steering gear for overcoming the mechanical stability of the high-speed steering gear on modern cars. Thus, the car is safer for high speed operation AND it is user friendly even in low speed operation.
For those of you that are wondering what the point is with this lesson in car structure and terminology? And what does this have to do in this point in your own self-realization/personal growth?
Allow me to explain.
After driving my friend John’s car for a couple of days, (a car without the abovementioned power steering) I had quickly adapted to not having power steering to easily guide and maneuver the car. I had to use a lot of my own strength to get the car to even think about turning, or so it seemed. I was a lot more conscious about the timing of my pressure on the wheel and making sure I turned it far enough with enough strength to get me where I had to go. I even had to utilize a majority of my body and motion to make those turns, when normally I don’t even have to put thought or much motion into driving my own car that has power steering.
The day after my trip, and return to my own car, was quite a shock on my body and mind. My Spirit even took notice. I barely touched the wheel and it sent the car off in motion - almost too far off my directed path after driving John’s car. Had I not been paying attention, I could have landed in the neighbors garden! My control of the wheel overshot the norm and I almost lost control as a result. Stark contract to normal driving for me. No longer did I have to “power” the steering wheel as I had over the weekend, it had its own method of guiding me and directing me, effortlessly, down the highways and byways of life. I just got to hold on loosely and not let go.
Often times in life I have found myself wanting to be like the driver of the car without power steering. I find myself holding on tighter and putting my whole body into the energetic aim of controlling the situation at hand, literally and figuratively. My grip on the “wheel” (ie my life) created a lot of tension in my body, my mind and my Spirit, leaving me focused more on the control beneath my fingertips (ie my day-to-day choices).
Whether it be in closing that sale or finishing that run or controlling that conversation - its amazing the difference in the outcome and in my own health and well being when I try to “power” steer through something versus just holding on loosely (just like the old 38 Special song) and not letting go. If I cling too tightly on the wheel that is already loaded with the power steering option, that is when I can cause an accident or mishap. Same goes in my life.
Give that some thought this week. What are you “power” steering in your life? Is it your career? Your financial situation? Your relationship? Your health? I encourage you and leave you with this. You can still get to where you are going while holding on loosely and not letting go of that steering wheel of life.
Here’s to you!
Yours in Transformational Success,
Lois Tiedemann
“Holding on loosely”
949-940-0399